More than two weeks after releasing a self-titled album by surprise,
Beyonce has drawn fire from NASA astronauts and others for sampling audio from the
Challenger disaster on the love song
XO.

In the six-second clip used at the start of the song,
Steve Nesbitt — the NASA public-affairs officer at the time — is heard saying just
after the space shuttle exploded on Jan. 28, 1986: “Flight controllers here looking very carefully
at the situation — obviously a major malfunction.”

June Scobee Rodgers — the widow of Challenger Commander
Dick Scobee, who died with the six other crew members — is among those who have
mentioned being disappointed.

Although she has been criticized as insensitive, Beyonce defended the use of the audio in a
statement to ABC News.

“My heart goes out to the families of those lost in the Challenger disaster,” she said. “The
songwriters (Ryan Tedder and
Terius Nash, aka The-Dream) included the audio in tribute to the unselfish work of
the Challenger crew, with hope that they will never be forgotten.”